In the canyon, fierce winds howled as lightning and flames intertwined.
Renya and a Kumogakure elite jōnin clashed at high speed between the rock walls, blades flashing, sparks flying.
Their speed was astonishing; every exchange came with the ringing clash of steel.
"Clang—!"
Renya's katana, "Immaculate," collided hard with the opponent's ninjatō. Using the rebound, Renya flipped back and landed steadily on a protruding rock.
His breathing was slightly heavy, his Sharingan locked firmly on his opponent.
This Kumogakure elite jōnin was no ordinary foe—he had decades of battle experience, and his speed was nearly on par with Renya's Body Flicker Technique.
Even more troublesome, his swordsmanship was vicious and precise, nearly breaking through Renya's defense several times.
"Uchiha brat, is that all you've got?" The Kumogakure jōnin sneered, lightning dancing along his blade.
"You killed Kinkaku and Ginkaku? Looks like it was just dumb luck!"
In his mind, the only reason Renya had managed to kill the brothers was because they didn't know the katana was poisoned, and they were caught off guard.
But now that he had the intel, he wouldn't make the same rookie mistake.
As a veteran elite jōnin of Kumogakure himself, he prided himself on being no weaker than the Kinkaku–Ginkaku brothers—only lacking the power boost of the Six Paths ninja tools.
If he killed Renya, it would prove his own strength.
Renya didn't answer.
His gaze swept across the battlefield—Senju Tobirama was locked in fierce combat with the burly leader, while Hiruzen and the others were also each caught in their own difficult fights.
He had to take this opponent down quickly so he could assist his comrades.
Especially Koharu and Mitokado Homura—against elite jōnin attacks, they were clearly struggling, only barely holding on.
If this dragged on, the two of them could be in real danger.
The Kumogakure jōnin noticed Renya's momentary distraction mid-battle. His eyes flashed—this was the perfect chance to kill him!
"Swish!"
He launched a sudden attack, his ninjatō carving a lethal arc straight for Renya's throat.
"Clang!"
Renya quickly raised his blade to block, the deafening clang of metal echoing against the canyon walls.
They pressed against each other, blades locked, eyes meeting, killing intent surging.
"Your swordsmanship is indeed impressive," Renya said calmly, the three tomoe of his Sharingan rotating slightly. "But that's nowhere near enough to kill me."
"Brat, don't get cocky." The Kumogakure jōnin smirked coldly, suddenly exploding with chakra. Lightning burst violently down the length of his blade.
"Lightning Release: Charge!"
Blinding light exploded outward. Renya was blasted back several meters, his feet carving deep grooves in the ground.
But the corners of his mouth curled in a cold smile, his Sharingan glowing a blood-red hue.
"Is that so?"
In the next instant, he used the Body Flicker Technique—his figure vanished.
Renya reappeared at his opponent's side, blade flashing like lightning, aimed for the throat!
The Kumogakure jōnin's pupils shrank; he hastily raised his blade to block, but Renya's attacks came like a raging storm.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Steel rang out in rapid succession, sparks flying in the narrow canyon.
"Brat, I've already seen through your movements!" the Kumogakure jōnin roared, suddenly changing his attack. His blade drew a strange arc, slashing straight for Renya's waist.
"Cloud Flow: Reverse Lightning Slash!"
Renya's eyes narrowed. At the very last moment, he twisted aside, but the blade still tore through the edge of his clothing.
The Kumogakure jōnin pressed the attack, lightning flashing on his sword, his strikes coming even faster.
"Die, brat!"
"Swish—!"
The lightning blade cleaved through Renya's afterimage. The real Renya was already in the air, both hands gripping his katana as he came down in a powerful slash.
"When?!"
The jōnin instantly realized—he had been caught in the Sharingan's genjutsu earlier.
He raised his blade in a rushed defense, but the force of this strike was far beyond his expectations.
"Boom—!"
The ground split, dust erupting.
The Kumogakure jōnin's feet sank into the earth, the flesh between his thumb and forefinger splitting open as blood dripped down the hilt of his sword.
For the first time, his eyes showed fear—this Uchiha brat was far stronger than he'd imagined.
"Damn it…"
He immediately leapt back, sheathing his blade to free his bloodied hands and rapidly weaving hand seals.
Violent lightning erupted outward from his body, forcing Renya to halt his next attack. But Renya's Sharingan never lost track of his movements.
—Now!
The moment the lightning dissipated, Renya's figure surged forward like a phantom.
The jōnin moved to swing his sword, but saw Renya's left hand suddenly form seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A roaring fireball burst forth, forcing the jōnin to dodge.
And in that single moment of evasion, Renya's blade struck.
"Shhk!"
The sound of steel cutting flesh rang out—the blade drove straight through his chest.
The Kumogakure jōnin's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the katana embedded in his heart.
Blood dripped from the blade, his life ebbing away.
"You…"
He had never expected the Uchiha brat to be able to form hand seals with one hand—there was no mention of that in the intel…
"It's over."
Renya coldly withdrew his blade, the spray of blood tracing an arc through the air.
The Kumogakure jōnin dropped to his knees before collapsing heavily to the ground, motionless.
Renya flicked the blood from his sword and sheathed it.
In the distance, the battles still raged, the explosions shaking the canyon.
"Bang!"
Koharu was sent flying by a heavy punch from another Kumogakure jōnin, her body smashing through a rock. The Crimson Gourd flew from her grasp.
The jōnin grinned, seizing the gourd as lightning gathered in his palm.
Blinding lightning streaked toward the fallen Koharu.
Renya's muscles tensed instantly; he used the Body Flicker without hesitation.
His figure blurred into an afterimage, and just before the lightning engulfed Koharu, he grabbed her by the collar and yanked her back.
"Boom—!"
Lightning exploded, leaving a charred crater in the ground.
If Renya had been a moment later, Koharu would have ended up like the shattered rocks.
"Cough… thanks, Renya-kun." Koharu's lips were stained with blood, her face pale. Her right hand hung at an unnatural angle—clearly broken.
"You… you actually killed the captain!" the Kumogakure jōnin blurted out in shock.
Renya's opponent had been their squad captain—a veteran elite jōnin of the village. He never thought the man would die like that.
"Damn you…"
Before he could finish, a black shadow flickered before him.
"Clang!"
Renya's katana clashed with his kunai. The force sent the jōnin staggering back, his hand trembling from the impact.
He shook his numb wrist, his face darkening, eyes warily fixed on Renya.
This brat had killed the captain—his strength was far above his own. He had to be extremely careful.
"What are you thinking?"
The cold voice came from behind him.
"What?!"
His thoughts froze.
The world tilted.
He saw his own headless body still standing in a fighting stance—and then nothing.
From Koharu's perspective, the moment the Kumogakure jōnin had locked eyes with Renya, he had frozen in place.
Clearly, he had been caught in the Sharingan's genjutsu from the very start…